


Value Pack

by htbthomas



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Community: tw_holidays, Friendship, Gen, Pack Family, Shopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-10
Updated: 2012-12-10
Packaged: 2017-11-23 19:12:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/625610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/htbthomas/pseuds/htbthomas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Scott runs into Erica at the grocery store. Scott’s shopping for snacks, Erica’s shopping for a little bit more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Value Pack

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fountainxxpenny](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fountainxxpenny/gifts).



> Written for fountainxxpenny for tw_holidays. Thank you to LadySilver for the beta help!

Melissa stops the shopping cart in the middle of the aisle and looks up from her list. "Scott? Would you go over to the snack aisle and pick something...?"

Scott, trailing behind her, stops his wandering just in time to avoid running into her. He had heard her, but hadn't processed immediately what she was saying. His mind had been full of thoughts of the beginning of the school year coming up.

When she turns toward him to see why he isn’t responding, some of that must still show on his face. "Honey?" she asks, concern threading her voice.

He tries to get himself back in the moment. "Hmm?"

"I said, could you go to--"

"The snack aisle? Sure." He takes a couple of steps and turns back, flashing her a hopeful smile. "Anything?"

"Sure." She pauses, then clarifies, "Within limits!" She looks relieved that he's acting normal. Or the way she remembers him. His mom has had months to get used to knowing the truth about his werewolf side, but there's too much of the trained medical professional in her to accept it wholesale.

But after a quiet summer, things are starting to get back to normal, or as normal as they'll ever be again.

"I know, I know. Not too much salt or sugar, right?"

"Or in general! I'm not made of money. I swear, you eat more than any normal... teenage boy should." There's that word again. She only stumbles over it slightly now.

He winks at her. "I promise." He starts to walk away but her voice calls him back.

"And promise me you won't eat the entire bag of chips in one sitting."

"Mom, I wouldn't do that." Not on purpose, anyway.

"Fine," she accedes. Then she adds with a smirk, "At least promise you won't let Stiles eat the entire bag of chips in one sitting."

With a smile and a mock salute, he turns again to walk toward where they keep the chips.

He's reading through the ingredients list on the back of the Baked Lays when he smells her. He knows who it is before he turns around. "Erica?"

"Hi, Scott," she says, standing several feet away. She sets down her basket and gives him a brief smile, before looking to the side in an almost shy manner. She seems different, but he can't completely place why that is. Maybe it's the way she's dressed? She's wearing a loose-fitting top and shorts, her hair is in a ponytail. No leather jacket, but it's still summer, so... He wouldn’t have noticed any of this before his wolf-powers kicked in, or really, before Allison. He shakes his head to chase his ex-girlfriend’s face from his mind.

Erica points at the bag of potato chips in his hands. "Shopping, huh?"

"Yeah," he says, placing the bag back on the shelf. "You know, school lunches," he says unnecessarily.

She frowns slightly. "Stuff is terrible for you."

"My mom says the same thing. Not that it really matters." He places a hand on his stomach. "The way I..." He gestures at Erica, "...we... heal, I could probably eat like a goat, or something."

"Mmm, tin cans," she says, her tone lightly teasing.

He laughs. This is nice. She's so much less intense than the last time they talked. Being away from Derek is the difference, he guesses. "You're more a fan of apples, right?"

He regrets saying it the minute it leaves his mouth, but instead of giving him an innuendo-filled smile, she blushes. "Right."

He rubs at the back of his head. Way to go, McCall. He tries to change the subject, not very deftly. "So... how's it going... with, you know, everything?"

"You mean... being pack-less and all that?"

It's his turn to blush. "Yeah."

"Not so well." When he tilts his head inquisitively, she adds, "The less said about it, the better."

He glances down at the items in her basket. A bunch of bananas, several packets of ramen, a bottle of value-priced shampoo. "Sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault. I just thought, when I accepted the..." She looks around and lowers her voice. "...gift... from Derek, that I'd finally--" She cuts off with frustrated frown and half-turns away from him. "Never mind, I'm not going to bother you with this. See you around school." She reaches to grab her basket and starts to walk rapidly away from him.

"Wait!" he calls, and with a burst of speed, he's in front of her. "Why not? If you need help, just ask."

Her frown softens. "Just ask?" She chuckles. "Of course." Her fingers twitch like she wants to reach out to him but she’s holding herself back. "You’d help anyone, without a thought for yourself."

He shifts uncomfortably. "It’s just what anyone would do..."

"No, Scott, it's not." She shakes her head like she knows that well. "Most people only care about saving their own skin. Or about what it will get them."

He's not sure how to respond, so he just says, "Let me help."

She relaxes and her face brightens. "Okay."

He waits for her to continue. After several long moments, he starts to worry. Why doesn't she just come out and say it? He thinks of all the times when she tried to come between him and Allison, so bold, so confident. But this Erica is so uncertain, so shy, so afraid. And it's not an act - he can smell it all of those emotions on her, mixing and shifting. What has happened this summer to make her so conflicted?

"I just..." she finally says. "I've noticed how close you and Isaac are now. Is he...?"

"My friend. We look at a lot of things the same way."

"Oh, I know he's your _friend_." She's over-apologetic, almost. "What I mean is... is he part of your... pack?"

"I don't have a pack, Erica, just my friends."

"Just your friends?" She steps closer. "It's more than that, Scott. You fight for them, you would die for them - and they'd do the same for you. If that's not pack, I don't know what is." She  
places her free hand on his arm; he can sense that some of her fear is dissipating.

He doesn't flinch away from her like he would have a few months ago. She really needs his help, he can’t sense any trace of manipulation. "And you... want in?"

She nods. "Yes. If you’ll have me."

He studies her for a moment before answering. She needs him, needs his ‘pack’ as she calls it. He doesn’t know how this happened, how he became this person that others looked to for leadership, but he just can’t turn her away. He places a hand on her arm, this time. "Of course. There's nothing special that comes with--" he starts to say, but suddenly her basket thunks to the laminate floor, her meager groceries tumbling out, and she throws her arms around him.

"Thank you, Scott," she whispers fiercely into his hair.

He stiffens at first, but the longer she holds him, the more he relaxes into the hug.

That's the moment his mom comes around the corner. "Scott, have you...? Oh." Melissa looks the two of them up and down, sees the spilled basket at their feet. A smell of surprise and curiosity emanates from her.

Erica holds him a moment longer before letting go and turning toward Melissa. "Hello, Mrs. McCall."

"Hi," Melissa responds, her head tilting slightly, like she’s figuring something out. By the tiny smile that grows on Erica's face, she is noticing it, too. "Erica, right?"

"Yes, Erica Reyes. Nice to see you again." Erica bends to gather up her groceries, and Scott drops down to help her. "I'd better be going, Scott. Talk later?" she says nonchalantly, probably unsure whether his mom knows anything about her.

"Definitely," he says as they both stand up again. "Or come by Dr. Deaton's."

"Okay," she says with a smile, and waves as she leaves.

When she's out of sight, his mom murmurs, "Are you two... dating?"

"Dating? Mom, no!" Scott's not sure he's ready for anything yet after the way things ended with Allison. "She's a friend."

"That hug seemed a little more than friendly..."

He growls a little, but it's playful. She's made it pretty clear since the break-up with Allison that she thinks Scott needs to get out more.

"Okay, okay!" She puts her hands up. "I just thought since the two of you," she tilts her head, "have so much in common..."

His eyes widen, flashing yellow, and she notices.

"...it might work out better this time."

"Mom," he says, exasperated. "If you know _how much we have in common_ , you should also know that she probably heard every word you just said."

Her mouth opens in realization. Recovering, she says with a shrug, "Well, if you ever change your mind, at least she knows I approve."

Since when had she become such a matchmaker? Well, two could play at that game. As they make their way down the aisle again, Scott begins, "You know, I hear that Sheriff Stilinski makes a mean lasagna..."

Melissa stops, mouth opening in an ‘oh’ of shock. Scott winks, and gives her a brief hug around the shoulders. He’s going to have to run that one past Stiles tomorrow.  



End file.
